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A theory building study of enterprise architecture practices and benefits

Author

Listed:
  • Ralph Foorthuis

    (UWV, CIO Office and Data Services)

  • Marlies Steenbergen

    (Sogeti Netherlands)

  • Sjaak Brinkkemper

    (Utrecht University)

  • Wiel A. G. Bruls

    (IBM Netherlands)

Abstract

Academics and practitioners have made various claims regarding the benefits that Enterprise Architecture (EA) delivers for both individual projects and the organization as a whole. At the same time, there is a lack of explanatory theory regarding how EA delivers these benefits. Moreover, EA practices and benefits have not been extensively investigated by empirical research, with especially quantitative studies on the topic being few and far between. This paper therefore presents the statistical findings of a theory-building survey study (n = 293). The resulting PLS model is a synthesis of current implicit and fragmented theory, and shows how EA practices and intermediate benefits jointly work to help the organization reap benefits for both the organization and its projects. The model shows that EA and EA practices do not deliver benefits directly, but operate through intermediate results, most notably compliance with EA and architectural insight. Furthermore, the research identifies the EA practices that have a major impact on these results, the most important being compliance assessments, management propagation of EA, and different types of knowledge exchange. The results also demonstrate that projects play an important role in obtaining benefits from EA, but that they generally benefit less than the organization as a whole.

Suggested Citation

  • Ralph Foorthuis & Marlies Steenbergen & Sjaak Brinkkemper & Wiel A. G. Bruls, 2016. "A theory building study of enterprise architecture practices and benefits," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 18(3), pages 541-564, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:infosf:v:18:y:2016:i:3:d:10.1007_s10796-014-9542-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s10796-014-9542-1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Yiwei Gong & Marijn Janssen, 2023. "Why Organizations Fail in Implementing Enterprise Architecture Initiatives?," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 25(4), pages 1401-1419, August.
    2. Gong, Yiwei & Janssen, Marijn, 2019. "The value of and myths about enterprise architecture," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 1-9.
    3. Farrukh Saleem & Bahjat Fakieh, 2020. "Enterprise Architecture and Organizational Benefits: A Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-23, October.
    4. Mirsalari, Seyedeh Reyhaneh & Ranjbarfard, Mina, 2020. "A model for evaluation of enterprise architecture quality," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    5. Ayed Alwadain, 2020. "Enterprise Architecture: A Business Value Realization Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-17, October.
    6. Aurona Gerber & Pierre le Roux & Alta van der Merwe, 2020. "Enterprise Architecture as Explanatory Information Systems Theory for Understanding Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprise Growth," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-31, October.
    7. Rogier van de Wetering & Sherah Kurnia & Svyatoslav Kotusev, 2020. "The Effect of Enterprise Architecture Deployment Practices on Organizational Benefits: A Dynamic Capability Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-21, October.
    8. Frederik Ahlemann & Sven Dittes & Tim Fillbrunn & Kevin Rehring & Stefan Reining & Nils Urbach, 2023. "Managing In-Company IT Standardization: A Design Theory," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 25(3), pages 1161-1178, June.
    9. Svyatoslav Kotusev & Sherah Kurnia & Rod Dilnutt & Rogier van de Wetering, 2024. "The Structuring of Enterprise Architecture Functions in Organizations," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 66(4), pages 465-488, August.
    10. Negin Banaeianjahromi & Kari Smolander, 2019. "Lack of Communication and Collaboration in Enterprise Architecture Development," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 21(4), pages 877-908, August.
    11. Rogier van de Wetering & Tom Hendrickx & Sjaak Brinkkemper & Sherah Kurnia, 2021. "The Impact of EA-Driven Dynamic Capabilities, Innovativeness, and Structure on Organizational Benefits: A Variance and fsQCA Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-23, May.
    12. Douglas Cumming & Sofia Johan & Denis Schweizer, 2017. "Information systems, agency problems, and fraud," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 421-424, June.

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